bridging the gap ae 2017 - boston society of architects the gap ae... · bridging the gap between...

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS

April 18, 2017

By Suzanne Robinson

• April 18, 2017

FOR A MORE COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE

What’s your experience?What’s your drive?

3© Duarte, Inc. 2014

Engineer Architect


Archineer

Engineer Architect

Path to Net Zero Energy

Fossil Fuel

Renewables

An

nu

al

En

erg

y C

on

sum

pti

on

Deep - Energy

Efficiency

Retrofits

Occupant

Behavioral

Changes

Current

Low- Cost Energy Efficiency

Initiatives Implemented

Net Zero

Energy

Building

Step 1 Step 2

Path to Net Zero Energy

Fossil Fuel

Renewables

An

nu

al

En

erg

y C

on

sum

pti

on

Deep - Energy

Efficiency

Retrofits

Occupant

Behavioral

Changes

Step 1

Low- Cost Energy Efficiency

Initiatives Implemented

Net Zero

Energy

Building

Step 2 Step 3

Archineer Energy

Efficient Design

Archineer Design

If we really pursue excellence,

a natural outcome of that will be…sustainability.

- Barbra Batshalom,

Sustainable Performance Institute

“”


TABLE OF CONTENTS

+ Why sustainability needs more collaboration

+ Introduction of Archineer concept

+ A/E schooling

+ Individual-level changes

+ Firm-level changes

+ Industry-level changes

Architects Dream Engineer

Engineers Ideal Architect

Net Zero Energy Project Examples

Next Generation of Design

01 02 03 04INTRO

If you weren’t an optimist, it would be impossible to be an architect.

- Norman Foster

“

”

“

”

Failure is central to engineering. Every single calculation that an engineer makes is a failure calculation.

- Dr. Henry Petroski

SCHOOLING

Architect Engineer

Taught to be

Optimists

Taught to be

Pessimists

Artistic / Creative

Theoretical Thinker

Precise / Mathematical

System Builder

Graded on iterative design approach

More designs you show, more reward

Graded on final solution

Answer is valued over work

Macro: Focus on the big picture - VISIONARY

Very little education on execution / feasibility

Micro: Focus on the details – PROBLEM SOLVER

Very little education on how everything fits together

Subjective grading

Learn to sell your answer

Objective grading

The answer is right or wrong

Often architects and engineers approach the same project from very different perspectives. These diverging views are cultivated early in their career, starting in their schooling. Architects and engineers appear to be opposites that can complement each other as they interrelate to one another.

REASONS I MAJORED IN ENGINEERING

Steady Pay

Loves Math / Science

So I can say, "Trust me, I'm an

engineer"

“[Engineers] know exactly what

your tasks are.. Go in, do your

work, get it done quick and go

home.”

ARCHITECT vs CIVIL ENGINEER WORK PLACE

“Too many variables

in Architecture…

there’s a never-ending

internal battle, “if I

just did this or

tweaked that, then

this would be better.”

“I love the structural engineers, you guys are often far and

away the best consultants I work with… Communication is

hard, taking the initiative and figuring out what is

happening globally is hard.”

“Are you high? Do you know how long it takes an engineer

to re-do calculations? The standards are a ridiculously thick

set of rules to follow.”

WHAT DO YOU

WISH STRUCTURAL

ENGINEERS DID

DIFFERENTLY?

17© Duarte, Inc. 2014 17© Duarte, Inc. 2014

Architects Dream Engineer

01


Brings new ideas / products / systems to the table

My engineer is good at what he/she knows but I have to push them into exploring something new.


Open to exploring new ideas / products / systems in a positive manner

Why do engineers shoot down something new and start with saying “no” initially?


Great Communication Skills

Where to start?:

- Doesn’t speak up

- Too much information and too technical

- Few visuals and usually in engineering code


Proactive not Reactive

Anticipates needs of the project design.

Let’s me know what I need to know ahead of time and sometimes before I need I know it. Instead of having to drag information from them.


Not so Conservative

Oversizes equipment, oversizes equipment rooms, sticks with systems they know. Conservative with time and wait to do their design at the end of a project.


Open to exploring multiple design options

Engineers are too pragmatic. They aren’t enthusiastic about exploring options and seem to want to skip the preliminaries.


Other Characteristics


Engineers Ideal Architect

02


Good at managing and leading the client

- Understands clients goals and needs

- Understands clients’ governance / decision making

- Manages scope creep / additional services

- Reduces design cycles / VE items


Excellent Project Manager

- Good at relationship and team building

- Develops trust and inclusion

- Respectful of time and expertise

- Understands what/who is needed when

- Doesn’t pit contractor and client against engineer


Knows that a small change on an architectural design can be a huge change for an engineer

Classic example is modifying equipment room dimensions and size. Architects are equally responsible for the design of high performance ductwork but often don’t understand how their design limits options.


Understands and shares risk of new ideas / technology

Doesn’t just sell next big thing to the client and then puts it on the engineers and blames them if something doesn’t succeed.


Helps join the facilities demands with management demands

Often the engineer is stuck between meeting two polar demands. Success of a project from an engineers perspective includes how well it operates.


Knows the building code andnot afraid to do calculations

Too often it feels like the energy code falls on the shoulders of the engineer even though it is inclusive of the entire building. Envelope calculations and lighting calculations done by who? What goes into load calcuations?


Other Characteristics


Net Zero Energy Project Examples

03


PROJECT CASE STUDIES

Two different projects interested in achieving Net Zero Energy (NZE), one in Virginia, one in Massachusetts. Net Zero Energy design goes beyond technology and engages occupant behavior/expectations and usage. On both projects it was the architect that was introducing the idea of NZE to the client. And in both cases the client was a public agency. Both had different design teams (A/E), different approaches, and different outcomes.


Architects reason for NZE

Results in varied levels of trust, leadership, inspiration and engagement.


NZE Champion(s)

Time and energy to recruit others and level of effectiveness, especially on client side.


Collaboration Process

Roles played in project team

Engagement of client as a team

Timing of collaboration


Start of Relationship

Level of respect, sharing, and listening

Culture of the project team

Clients needs understood


NZE Results

Paradigm shift vs. entrenchment


Next Generation of Design

04


Change


http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/blog/2015/10/26/who-wants-change-who-wants-to-change/

Most businesses were never built to change – they

were built to do one thing exceedingly well and highly

efficiently – forever. That’s why entire industries can

get caught out by change – industries like publishing,

recorded music and the major U.S. airlines.

“

”


Change : Start with yourself

- Continue to develop your interpersonal skills

- Professional coaching

- Research “Change Management”

- Read, ex. Harvard Business Review Articles

CHANGE MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS:

We may feel too little involved. People are more

resistant to change if they are not part of the change.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS:

We may see the rewards of changing as too low. When

people do not have the answer to the question

“What’s in it for me?”, they will resist change. When

the rewards for making the change are too low

compared to trouble/stress/extra work involved,

change will falter.


Change : Recruit colleagues

Don’t just ask technical questions

Find other change management folks and talk

Share lessons learned

Advocate particular engineer / architect


Change : Bridge the Gap

Stay in touch with the “other” side

Adopt an engineer or architect

Ask what others in your profession are doing

Share what others in their profession are doing

How’s the culture of your company perceived?


Understanding Others


Understanding Others

Become less self-centered

Evaluate your collaboration skills

Learn Engineering/Architecture basics

Expose yourself to “sales” basics


ArchitectsNeeds

EngineersNeeds

2


ArchitectsNeeds

ClientsNeeds

EngineersNeeds

#1 The project isn’t about a building. It’s about the clients goals and objectives. Do you know the success of your buildings?

Not just about architects and

engineers needs, it’s ultimately

about the clients needs.


Value is subjective and the value is not [the A/E’s] decision. The client is the final arbiter.

- David Crowell, CEO of RMC International

“”


Knowledge Sharing


Knowledge Sharing

• Is the quality of answers dependent on who they know and where they sit?

• Are we answering the same questions over and over?

• Are we learning from the experience of others?


Knowledge Sharing

No longer apprentice based profession

Need for Knowledge Management tools

Technical and interpersonal skillsets

Chief Information Officer


Industry Needs

1. Director of Learning and Evaluation

2. Chief Information Officer / Knowledge Management

3. A/E based project management / interpersonal workshops/resources

4. “Architecture for engineers” courses/resources/tools

5. “Engineering for architects” courses/resources/tools

6. More communication between fields


Thank youSuzanne Robinson

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